December 3, 2006
Dewey Readmore Books
Dewey Readmore Books, the feline mascot of the Spencer Public Library in Spencer, Iowa, died on Nov. 29. He was 19.
Librarian Vicki Myron found Dewey inside the building's book drop back in 1988. The temperature outside was minus 10 degrees that January day, and the yellow kitten's paws were frozen. It is unknown whether Dewey crawled into the book drop on his own to escape the cold, or was placed there by a Good Samaritan.
Myron adopted Dewey that day and helped to nurse him back to health. When city officials approved the library's cat-in-residence, the local newspaper ran a photograph of the city's "new employee" sitting on the card catalog. As the tale of his rescue spread, so did his fame. Soon journalists from all over the world began traveling to this small Iowa town to write about him. Tourists added the Spencer library to their travel itineraries, and purchased postcards featuring Dewey on the front. The profits from these cards brought in thousands of dollars to the library.
Cats reside in approximately 125 libraries across the United States. Most live and work in small-town libraries and earn their keep by charming patrons and taking care of rodents. An official member of the Library Cat Society, Dewey was featured in the book, "Library Cats Just Making a Living," and in the documentary "Puss in Books: Adventures of the Library Cat."
Dewey, whose moniker harkens to the Dewey Decimal System used by libraries to catalog books, received his name in a public contest. However, he endeavored to earn the title of "world's most finicky cat" by turning his nose up at mere cat food. Though he would consume it, Dewey much preferred eating scrambled eggs, Arby's roast beef, plain cheeseburgers, tuna sandwiches, boiled ham and chicken garlic TV dinners.
In November, Dewey was diagnosed with a tumor. To ease his pain and suffering, Myron held Dewey in her arms while the vet euthanized him. Although plans for a memorial service have not been solidified, the library staff is considering having his body cremated and burying the ashes on library grounds. A local funeral home has donated a black granite marker with a laser-scanned image of Dewey. It will be installed once the ground warms up this spring.
[Update - April 9, 2007: Librarian Vicki Myron has signed a $1.2 million deal with Grand Central Publishing, formerly Warner Books, to write the story of Dewey's life. She and a ghostwriter will pen the book, which is scheduled for publication in 2008.]
Posted on December 3, 2006 6:45 PMI think I saw a piece about Dewey on some Saturday morning soft news program years back.
How sad. :(
Posted by Tim on December 4, 2006 11:06 PMOh...what a great story. What a wonderful fuzzy life lost.
Thanks for blogging this.
Posted by jillian on December 19, 2006 12:37 AMas a cat lover, i'm glad dewey found a good place to live. we have two cats in our town library, paige and turner. nice to know they are welcomed in libraries.
Posted by Tamala on January 15, 2007 10:41 AMI live in Australia and i got to here about Dewey on the Radio 6PR i love animals and Deweys story just touched my heart so i got on to my computer to find out more about him . He had a good long life it is always very sad when you have to say goodbye .
My Condolence to you all
Barbara
I just finished Dewey, and I fell in love with him. What a wonderful story! Dewey will live forever, because of his book, and because of the love he shared with everyone.
Posted by Linda Szymanski on September 21, 2008 7:12 PMI saw the story on CBS Sunday Morning, this morning... I had happy tears seeing and hearing the story of his life in the library and then sad tears to hear of his death....
I am, just maybe, sentimental....
I just finished reading the book about Dewey. I fell in love with a cat that I have never met. I laughed about his antics and I was touched by his spirit and I was devastated when he reached the end of his life.
As a cat lover, I have had to make that decision and it is one of the hardest things that I have ever had to do and also one of most loving things that a person who loves animals will ever do.
Dewey will live on in the memories of all those that loved him and now all of those that will learn to love him thru his book by Vicki Myron, Dewey Readmore Books is truly a special cat.
Posted by Linda on October 16, 2008 4:55 AMdewey i just learned about you about you and your story is one of a kind. not very many cats get world famous. but your one of the greatest cats ive read about....
r.i.p
matt
age 13
I saw the book Vicki wrote about Dewey listed in our newspaper. As a multi cat owner myself I can relate to kitty antics, but I have never seen a cat wave before. Dewey touched my heart, pulled my heartstrings, and made me feel he was part of my own multi cat family. Death comes too soon, yet those who are owned by our cats know when they are asking for relief and give us their OK to have them crossover to the Rainbow Bridge, where I know Vicki knows she will see him again.
Posted by Suzie on November 11, 2008 9:37 PMI live in Brasil and i got to here about Dewey on the book i love cats and Deweys story just touched my heart. He had a good long life it is always very sad when you have to say goodbye .
My condolence to you all
Braguinha
My wife and I were on a recent weekend get-a-way in the small town of Woordstock, VT when I spotted the book "DEWEY" in the window of a local book store. I'm not much for reading but I am a 2 cat father so we bought the book. I have to tell you that for a 'non-book guy' the story of Dewey is the most enjoyable, well written, heart warming animal stories of its time AND it's true! Vicki, geart job telling Dewey's story. ~Peter
Posted by Peter Irzyk on November 16, 2008 6:15 PMI have a copy of the book, DEWEY, and it is so good. As a cat lover i'm very sad to hear that Dewey died, but at least he's in a better place. The book DEWEY touched my heart...
Posted by Cat-lover on November 29, 2008 6:41 PMI am "on my second cat" of my life. My first cat outlived Dewey by six year,only because I could not bring myself to do(what I now know as the decent thing to do) what Dewe's pet parent was able to. I learned from my mistake and my "little buddies" suffering, "when they refuse to eat or drink and you have to force feed them, it is time to walk them over the Rainbow Bridge. Cat's Leave pawprints on our hearts.
Posted by countrycat on December 1, 2008 2:20 PMI just finished reading "Dewey" tonight. Although I am (extremely) sad at the story's ending, I am also grateful to know about little Dewey's beautiful love of life and humanity. He was a treasure to all who knew him both in person and through reading this story about his life. Vicki Myron, thanks for sharing this with us all.
Posted by Jodi Combs-Kalla on December 15, 2008 12:26 AMI bought the audio book and just finished it tonight. The book was wonderful and I don't think I ever cried so much in my life. He reminded me so much of my cat Sylvester, who has been gone for 10 years now. The way that Vicki stayed with him in the end, I thought this could be me. I did exactly the same thing. Vicki was lucky to have found him. He was a special cat and Dewey was lucky to have a mom like Vicki.
Posted by Terri on December 20, 2008 1:25 AMi'm a french women and i'm reading "Dewey" it's fantastic and touch my heart
I am currently reading Dewey and can hardly bare to put it down. The down side however is that I don't know if I can stand to read the end. Dewey has touched my heart and there are some things you would rather not know. I have 2 Ragdoll Cats and Dewys antics remind me very much of my Rupert. How lucky Dewey was to have found Vicki and vice versa.
Posted by Jennifer Murray on January 5, 2009 11:33 PMthat book is so sad at the end. our cat alex was like dewey. its so sad to put a cat down.
teardrop
Today I finished reading 'Dewey',thank you for sharing his and your stories.I loved the good times and cried at the bad.Love from Joan.
Posted by joangannaway on January 7, 2009 8:35 AMI read the book aloud on our road trip this Christmas. Laughed as well as cried. It is a truely remarkable story about that wonderful cat Dewey, small town and presonal survival. I reccomend it to everyone.
Posted by Christine on January 7, 2009 3:40 PMI just finished reading Dewey, what a wonderful story. I cried. I also lost my 16 year old mama cat "Michael" this past year. They truly become dear loved ones.
Posted by Pat on January 9, 2009 10:38 PMWhat an awesome cat! I am still reading the book and feel very touched. Dewey is an angel that brought miracles in many lives. I have lost two very special cats, one and two years ago. They have left paw-prints in my heart forever. I commend Vicki and her love to share Dewey's story with us. His love will always be remembered forever. Thank you Vicki for loving Dewey.
Posted by Shameen on January 12, 2009 12:44 PMI just finished reading "Dewey", and have been a cat lover and owned by cats for many years. I worry about my own 14-year-old Katie and what I will do without her when she decides to cross over the "Rainbow Bridge" to be with her old friend (and Border Collie) Max. Vicki Myron did a wonderful job in describing her life and how Dewey touched the entire Town of Spencer! This is a book that I will cherish forever!
Posted by Debbie on January 13, 2009 1:38 PMI just finished the book "Dewey" and fell head over heals for him. I'm so touched on the love between cat and humans. I have a Orange and White Tabby and see a lot of the same characteristics in them both. Dewey touched so many people in his fine years at the Spencer Library and continues to do so after his death. I only wish I could have visited him in person. Thanks so much for sharing his story! R.I.P Dewey Readmore Books, You Will NEVER be forgotten.
Posted by Elise Meddaugh on January 14, 2009 12:26 PMHi, I'm Canadian but I live in Rome, Italy. On a recent trip to Paris, I saw this book. Fascinated by the title and admiring a picture that resembled my cat, Rudy, I immediately bought the book (especially because it was written in English). At first I put it aside because I had no time to read. After Christmas I sat down and began to read. Well, as others have written, there are no words to describe my emotions. Simply put, Dewey Readmore Books is and was truly a remarkable cat. Vicky, you are certainly lucky to have had a cat like Dewey. Your love, appreciation, dedication and faith in and for Dewey is what life is about. Although he isn't here today, he will live in my heart forever. Thank you Vicky for sharing his story and a "catnip" toy to you, Dewey Readmore Books - R.I.P. Love, Always, Monica.
Posted by Monica Martinelli on January 15, 2009 3:01 AMI just read Dewey's story! What a great book. How I would have loved to have been to the Spencer Public Library to meet him!
Posted by Stephanie on January 17, 2009 10:53 AMThank you Vicki Myron for the wonderful book. From the first page through the last page, I was captivated by this endearing story of Dewey. It was so heartfelt. Your story was so well written; and like others, I wish I could have met Dewey. He was indeed a hero and inspiration.
Cat owner of three.
I finished reading the book about ten days ago and can't stop thinking of Vicky and Dewey. I was touched and had a great cry...as never before. I watched Dewey's video on you tube as well: "same reaction"! I would like to meet Vicky once to express her all my solidarity feeling and to thank her for sharing. I will never forget both of them !
Posted by cristiana on January 21, 2009 7:26 AMI finished reading the book "Dewey" and fell in love with this adorable cat. I am a school librarian in South Dakota and a cat lover, so I could relate to this story on a personal level. Just 2 weeks prior to reading the book, I had to make the difficult decision to put my 19 year old cat to sleep. I shed many tears while reading this story but found it somewhat theraputic. My cat was also a Maine Coon and had the same disposition and habits as Dewey(the dewey carry, sleeping positions, fear of hairballs and more). Thanks to Vicki for writing this book. Dewey touched many lives during his lifetime as well as after his death.
Posted by Annette on January 28, 2009 10:36 AMi'm 10 yers old and i just fineshed reaind dewey i was so sad at the end that i had to stop for the night.i used to have 7 cats and now i only have 3 i'm so sad that whenever i see a cat in need i cry and think"how could people not see that you need a home" if i was alowd to get anether cat i would but it's to hard when you haft to walk them over that rainbow brige. dewey will live forever in our harts.
r,i,p
sonia
cooper
As long as I can remember, I've been a cat lover. I knew I'd enjoy the book about Dewey's life, friends, antics and photos. I cannot describe how much this story touched my heart; perhaps partially because Dewey looks so much like my 2 year old cat, Zucca (Italian for pumpkin). Thank you, Vicki, for loving him so much.
Posted by Karolyn Holdren on January 29, 2009 3:10 PMI am a huge cat lover, and this story has touched my heart deeply. Dewey seemed like he was the sweetest cat. I am glad that he was able to live a good, fun life with lots of love to fill it. He will most certainly never be forgotten. RIP Dewey
Posted by ashley short on January 29, 2009 5:26 PMI read Dewey, cover-to-cover, this past Sunday. Once Vicki introduced me to this remarkable little fellow, I could not put her book down. Two days later I am still crying, not because Dewey's life is over, but because of the incredible beauty he brought into the world and to everyone he touched just by being who he was born to be. Vicki, too, is a remarkable woman, and I am eternally grateful to her for sharing her remarkable story, and Dewey, with all of us. I shall remember Dewey and the lessons he taught us in his own dignified cat way, for the rest of my life. Thank you, Dewey, for choosing Vicki, and thank you, Vicki, for being Dewey's perfect mom. He could not have had a better life.
Posted by Donna on February 3, 2009 10:48 AMI read the book on a flight from the west coast to columbus. I'll bet the guy setting next to me wondered why the guy next to him was crying. We rescue cats here on our farm and we have 28 now, including a kitten that could be a Dewey twin. Thanks Vicki for opening your heart to this wonderful soul called Dewey. And thanks for sharing the story.
Terry Warner
One of my co-workers found this little gem of a book, and knowing I was a 'cat person', lent it to me after she finished reading it. I finished it in 3 days, and could hardly put it down. I laughed at his antics and cried at both the tragedies in Vicky's life and Dewey's inevitable death. Dewey is proof positive that, sometimes, a cat can be more than just a cat. He was truly an extraordinary character.
Posted by Diane on February 9, 2009 10:53 PMI just read your book about Dewey and just sobbed at the end. If you do no fall in love with this silly cat book you are not human. It is truly a lovely story that you cannot put down. I HATED knowing that the end would not be good and had to shelf the book at page 159 for a few days as I was to emotional to go on at that moment.
To the writers; You gave such a great personality to Dewey through your writing. For those of us that never met the little guy I felt like I understood and knew him. Vicki, you are a wonderful person who has made a difference in this world all through your random act of kindness on that cold January Day. There was a larger purpose when someone placed that cat in your life that day and you picked the route of compassion and I commend you for that. I hope you always have fond memories of that orange little bundle of joy. Thank you for a wonderful wonderful story that I can pass on to my daughter. From an animal lover as well. God Bless!
I just finished crying my way through the book written for him. I think reading that book made me truly appreciate my cat while she's still on this earth. I wished I'd known about this cat sooner, I would have found a way to visit him in that library, he seemed like a sweetheart.
and the funny thing about my cat, she also enjoys the "Dewey carry"....
I just finished Dewey's book. I am a veterinarian in a small town and Dewey and his "people" and folks like them are why I do what I do. Unconditional love, comfortable in their own skins, honest about their feelings, we can learn much from our four-footed companions about how to live a truly good life and lift up all those we encounter along the way. Thanks Dewey. and thanks Vicki, for telling his (and your) stories and reminding us what strength and character are all about.
Posted by Roxanne on March 1, 2009 3:11 PMI live in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and read about Dewey in the "The Courier Mail" our local Saturday paper. An amazing cat and at the end of reading the article I was crying. I also had a tabby, her name was Abby and she went to Pussy Cat heaven three months after her 19th birthday, December 2008. Our house is very empty without her, but full of her memories, she was the mistress of the house.
I love cats, so when I had an opportunity to receive a copy of "Dewey" the library cat, I just couldn't put it down. Dewey was a wonderful cat and brought joy to a lot of folks. He will always be missed. "Thanks, Dewey"!
Posted by Priscilla Barbee on March 10, 2009 9:17 PMI'm currently reading the book on Dewey. I've already shed plenty of tears because of how he touched many hearts. Such a great story of a special cat.A must read for the animal lover.
Posted by Dawn Hunt on March 14, 2009 5:01 PMSou brasileira, li o livro sobre a vida de Dewey e sobre o quanto ele participou da vida de inumeras pessoas. Quanto amor ele deu e quanto amor recebeu.Amei-o do ínicio ao fim, chorei muito por sua morte. Meus sentimentos para Vicky.
Posted by Ivete Riccio on April 1, 2009 9:57 AM"Dewey" is the 1st book I've read in over 10 years. I have fallen in love with him, his story, his library, & his town. I hope his story lives on in the hearts of all people--I know it will in mine. If more people in this world were like Dewey, what a wonderful world it would be!
Posted by Leslie on April 3, 2009 2:59 PMI just finished "Dewey" and i think it's the best story i have ever read.Dewey was really wonderful.
Posted by clara on April 16, 2009 8:48 AMI am reading the book Dewey and it is sooo cool! i love him like i actwaly met him but i havn'y. i am sooooooooooooo sad Dewey died! :(
Posted by Anna on April 20, 2009 8:11 PM